The Return of The Shield Hero
by Nosorrynoyes
Summary: This is a oneshot written for the r/shieldbro discord server writing contest. The story is about Naofumi not being able to defeat an enemy and dying as a result.


"BLOOD SACRIFICE"

I felt my body burning up again, this feeling that I didn't want to feel again. I wanted to avoid using it at all cost, but my opponent is someone I could never beat without using it.

My vision starts to get blurry and my hearing is becoming static, from the corner of my eye I can see Raphtalia looking at me with worry. She is a good girl, I'm sorry that I have brought you to a life with hardships. I know that you don't mind living in this type of life, but I still feel guilty, I'm sorry Raphtalia.

My body became even stiffer and I felt the ground rumbling, it's coming my most powerful move is coming I'm scared but this is the only way to win.  
I hope Filo is alright, is she behind me? I don't see her anywhere. I tried moving my head but that didn't work, I wanted to see Filo before I would fall unconscious but that's not going to happen because the bear trap with many spikes came out of the ground and started entrapping the man that we couldn't defeat in normal means.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"

My entire body felt like it was being scraped off with a fork but at the same time, it felt like I was being skinned alive. It hurts, I don't want this. Why…. Why is the world so cruel to me, even after my name got cleared, I still have to deal with this.

'Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good'

A distorted voice, it was a scary distorted voice. It felt like he was telling me to sit on his lap and become his dog.

'let the rage consume you, we can both defeat the enemy if you let me take control'  
The voice didn't feel scary to me anymore, I felt soothed by the voice. I felt like I was on my own bed sleeping comfortably, I want to protect Filo and Raphtalia, this might be the best way.  
"MASTER NAOFUMI!"  
I could hear Raphtalia's voice, she was obviously distressed but it's all fine after I wake up, I'll take you to the hot springs like last time.

"Ra-"  
My vision started to become black, my hearing disappeared and at last, I couldn't feel anything anymore.  
Everything moved so fast, if I looked back at this I would be regretting it. I hurt many people with what I've done, I hope they all forgive me.

.

.

"ugh"

An uncomfortable bright light shined on me, I moved my right hand to block my eyes so that I could slowly get used to the light.

I was standing and had something in my hand, I slowly opened my eyes and looked around me.

"Where am I?"

This place, I'm not familiar with but at the same time I feel like I've been here before.

"Young one you're at the library, did you forget?"

I looked at the man that said that to me, he was wearing a button-up shirt, shorts and sneakers.

No, wait this can't be. My hands started shaking and my legs were trembling. My body started burning up and I quickly looked at the item I had in my hand. It was the book that sends me to a different world. 'Why did I come back?'

Why now of all times?

I could felt like crying, tears were already building up. 'There has to be a reason why I returned to earth' I put the book back on the shelf and ran out of the library.

Was it all an imagination? Was it just one of my wild fantasies? Tears were falling down. I can't accept this

After a while, I got home crying myself to sleep.

**TWO MONTHS LATER**

"Brother, do you want to play the new game with me?"

My little brother entered my room, he is a smart kid that I saved from becoming someone like me.

"Nah, I'm not in the mood"

I said to my little brother, he then left the room to go to his own room. I was laying on my bed and just stared at the ceiling. I Iwatani Naofumi became a shut-in, I haven't left the house in 2 months. My parents suspect that something happened when I went to the library, while they aren't wrong it's something they would've never imagine from happening.

I know for sure that I got transported to a different world and then returned when I used a powerful move that would've consumed me.

"I should probably go outside"

I really don't feel like doing anything, I just want to lay down and sleep.

"Master Naofumi"

I jolted up and looked around me, I thought that I heard Raphtalia calling me. There was no one else in the room except for me.

"Is this the life I will be living now?"

I walked to my door and left my room, I scratched my beard that I never thought I would ever get. It's been 2 months since I have done something productive, I feel useless. I left the house and just started walking aimlessly, I had nothing to do in this world. In this world, everything is so peaceful while in the other world I have always been on edge. Is it fine for me to leech from society? I will just be scum if I keep living that way, my expertise isn't useful here.

I walked on a bridge I'm not familiar with but that doesn't matter. Cars were driving past me really fast, from the distance I could see a truck driving. The driver didn't seem to be asleep or drunk so there was no chance for it to hit me.

"Heh Truck-kun"

Without a single thought, I jumped in front of the truck.

"Did I survive?"

I felt uncomfortable, it felt like I was stuffed into something. Everything was dark, the only thing I could see was the status screen.

"I can see the status screen!"

My heart started rapidly beating, I could also feel something attached on my arm.

"My shield! I need to get out of here!"

I started planning on what to do.

"AIR STRIKE SHIELD!"

The place I was in exploded and I could see light. I was underground, the dirt that was sent away came back to the ground. I needed to act fast or the dirt would cover me again.

"SECOND SHIELD!"

A second shield appeared, and I quickly took the time to escape. When I finally felt the solid ground, I looked around me, I didn't know where I was.  
"I need to find Raphtalia and Filo" With a new determination in life I started walking.

After a couple of hours, news spread that someone vandalized the Shield Hero's grave, there was a bounty placed to find the culprit. At the time I didn't know that was my grave, I didn't question why I was buried because I wanted to find the people I love the most. 


End file.
